The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-10-14
alarmed at Seabrookes demeanor.

alarmed at Seabrooke's demeanor.
"Oh, you need not be afraid have
not come TO overwhelm you with re
proaches or tell you all the i'll that you
have wrought, my Cousin Grace. !
have brought you a present from be-
yond the seas. Take it, and with it
such blessings from me as you and
your kinsfolk richly deserve"
So saying, he turned toward the
table, and brought forward TO the light
an ivory casket that stood there still
half hidden in its wrsppings. Divest-
ed of these, 1t showed 10 the sunset
light as a marvel of artistic beauty. In
high relief upon the lid was carved the
meeting of Bacchus and Ariadne, and
the sides were adorned with q repre-
sentation of the bridal procession of
the god, wherein bscchantes and satyrs,
nymphs and fauns, and cupids and
panthers, were all mingled in graceful
confusion. The mountings of the cas-
ket were in antique silver, and on a
shield just above the lock were engrav-
ed the intertwined initials &c. B., and
below these "V." surmounted with q
ducat coronet, the insignia of "C@sar
Borgia, Duke of Valentinois." 1t was
gift worthy to be offered by an en-.
amored monarch to his future Queen.
Grace drew near and gazed with
breathless delight at the exquisite
workmanship Of the ivory carvings.
Meantime Louis took from his pocket.
book an antique key in darkened silver.
This, too, was yeritable work of art
The tube was held in the appraised
bands of a mermaid, whose curved fish
tail formed the handle of the key.
This handle on its outer edge was
bordered with small, scarcely percept,-
BILE points, or spines, which would be
apt to wound the hand of any one try
ing to open the lock and not warned
to take due precautions. This key
Louis carefully fitted into the lock Of
the casket. ,.,.. -.., ..... b. ..-.,.
"Open it-open it, Grace !" he cried
with feverish eagerness. within you
will find inclosed q necklace of the
choicest pearls to be fonnd in all Paris.
Open it--open it, and tell me what you
think of my wedding presents" s,I
But without touching the key the
girl glided forward and, and, resting
her clasped hand ON the lid of the cas-
ke, she looked into the dark troubled
depths of her cousins eyes with a ten
der seriousness in her glance that
caused him to turn pale and to look
aside. ...........
"Dear Cousin Louis" she said, s'you
have brought me magnificent gift,
but do not think me exacting or un.
grateful if / ask you for something
more. You know I am going out TO-
morrow to new life, and / want to
take with me all the kirdly thoughts
and affection of those who loved me
when l was little child. You feel
bitterly towards US all, l know because
l could not love you better than have
done-just as have loved my broth
ers. 1t will cast . shadow on the
brightness of my wedding day if
think you are still displeased with my
parents, and still feel unkindly towards
me. Dear Cousin Louis-my brother
Louis--in memory of our old pleasant
days together, will you not grant me
my requesti Take back your lovely
casket and your necklace of pearls, and
give me instead your frank brotherly
affection once more"
He fixed his dark, burning eyes on
the soft blue ones raised 80 pleadingly
to his own. .
$50 you will not open the casket
Grace p he said hoarsely. .. . ..f
"Not till you promise to grant mt
my request. Ah, Louis have you for
gotten all those days when we wer,
children together, and little cousin
Grace used to pet you, and watch owe
you, and keep her boisterous brothe
from teasing yous You were alway
very dear to me, Louis-be my dea
brother once again and always"
Still gazing fixedly upon her, hi
drew the casket towards him, unlocket
it, threw back the lid, and withdrew
the key. He held up his hand will
Its open palm turned toward Grace a
he did 80, and the astonished girl coul,
see upon it one or two minute drops O
blood caused by the punctures of tn
points on the handle of the key,
'Take your casket and your pearls
Grace, and with them my full forgive
ness. You do not know what goo,
service / have done you to-day.
have swept from your path bite
and dangerous foe Did you eve
read Victor Hugo's 'Esmeralda = Ther
are four lines in an old translation O
that poem which are now ringing i
my brain:
"'Mine be the tomb and thine be light an
, life.
/ die, and Fate avenges thee. IT'S well.
l go, oh angel OF my life, to learn ~
If Heav'n is sweet ss were thy lov,
, Farewell"
So saying, he took Grace's head i
both his hands, kissed her tenderly o
, the forehead and departed.
A week later the community wa
electrified by the news of the sudde
death of young Louis Seabrook, VIII
succumbed to a rapid and mysterior
r malady few days after the marriae
of Miss Marsden. The disease whiC
proved so speedily fatal baffied all tt
} science and conjectures of the phys
clans called in to attend him. The
agreed that his symptoms closely r
sembled those produced by the bite
a serpent, and finally decided that IL
patient had fallen a victim to son
acute and mysterious form of bloc
, poisoning.
1t was only Richard Marsden wi
learned The truth, and that was aft
: the death of Louis Seabrook. Among
the papers of the deceased was four
r a letter addressed to his uncle. 1t 8
r forth in rambling, inooherent fashit
these facts:
81 brought the casket of Ces
Q Borgia as present to Grace"
wrote, intending that she should n
r long survive her marriage. The lit
0 points that stud the handle of the q
yer key, and that are arranged so as
|. punoture the hand of any one wi
tries, unwarned, to open the caskt
t contain deadly venom. But, on
Z brought face TO face with my fair al
: gentle cousin, could not find it